Dear Jessica, Congratulations on making the journey through your course - I know what it takes... well done!! Your course and background sound very similar to my own experience. Just a few words about the likelihood of consolidating your midwifery clinical experience in settings other than caseload/independent care arrangements.
Working in the hospital maternity settings can give you the exposure to the many variables of individual women's birth journeys which is a valuable overview to gain. Remember, antenatal and postnatal care is just as important as the labour and provides many opportunities to develop listening and counselling skills, as well as clinical experience. Working as part of the maternity team will give you insight into the culture of hospital based maternity care. This will help prepare you for the times when you need to revisit the hospital environment if you need to transfer a woman from home or birth centre to hospital. It's helpful to really understand the dynamics of what's going on behind closed doors when you are supporting your client who has a problem. It is very difficult at times working in "the system", but it can also be very rewarding - you can really make a difference to a woman's experience, and you can influence other midwives' ideas and practices with your fresh approach. When the time is right, and the opportunity arises, move on to the caseload or independent care environment... and go for it!! All experience is valuable, and in this job you never stop learning. Good luck!! I look forward to following your progress through this list. Kindest regards, Lois Wattis (Independent Practising Midwife, WA) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jessica Simms" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Monday, November 04, 2002 4:16 PM Subject: Re: [ozmidwifery] Obstetric Perception - Your thoughts? hello midwives, I'm a midwifery student at RMIT in Melbourne (postgrad nursing, dare I say it!) and almost finished and about to get out there. Just wanted to say a couple of things about this discussion. Firstly, I can't imagine not working in a continuity of care model and am dreading to think I may have to work shift work - as a student I've found it really hard leaving a woman in labour and getting back the next day to find shes ended up with an epidural and forceps etc, etc. Also NMAP is a fantastic document and I was so excited when first reading it to think that I may be able to work in such a way through the public system. About the high work load - couldnt those with young families take on a smaller caseload? I remember vaguely hearing that the Angliss trialed caseload a couple of years back and had initial criticism from midwives that it would impinge on personal lives but the same midwives later felt that this was not the case and really loved working this way - anyone out there correct me if Im wrong on this?... I also just wanted to add that the mid course at RMIT, like the bachelor mid courses, is very much about preparing us for this kind of model. One of the lecturers worked as an indep. midwife in New Zealand, and has been very passionately teaching us all about practicing in this way. (eg Enkin et al is now a prescribed text). Thats it - thanks for listening! Jessica -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe. -- This mailing list is sponsored by ACE Graphics. Visit <http://www.acegraphics.com.au> to subscribe or unsubscribe.
